Sidewalk Records
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Sidewalk Records was a record label based in Hollywood, California that operated during the 1960s.
Around 1966, 21-year old record producer Mike Curb formed Sidewalk Productions. The production company later became Sidewalk Records, and was considered to be a subsidiary label of Capitol Records. Many recordings by Sidewalk Productions also appeared on the related label Tower Records (not affiliated with the record store chain of the same name, which started out in Sacramento, California), also a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
Most of the LPs released on Sidewalk Records were soundtrack albums, mainly those of films released by American International Pictures. Most of these were B-movies having to with motorcycle gangs, auto racing or psychedelic exploitation movies. These included Thunder Alley, The Wild Racers, Psych-Out, and The Trip.
Guitarist Davie Allan and his group Davie Allan and The Arrows made several appearances on Sidewalk Records, though his main releases were on Tower Records. Other notable releases on the Sidewalk label were the first single by Linda Ronstadt and a novelty album by hippie street singer and health food advocate Gypsy Boots, sort of Sidewalk's answer to Tiny Tim. Allan and several other studio musicians also recorded many sessions that were released on 45 RPM singles under a wide variety of group names. Several singles were issued under Mike Curb's name. Songwriter Harley Hatcher was also a frequent contributor to the Sidewalk oeuvre.
The label released about 20 LPs and several dozen 45 RPM singles before quietly shutting operations around 1970. The related Tower Records label ceased operations around the same time. Mike Curb went on to run MGM Records in the 1970's, where he was instrumental in promoting the career of The Osmonds. He later formed Curb Records, which still exists today. Curb Records operates out of Nashville and releases recordings mainly by country music artists, including Junior Brown.
